Party Platforms

Platforms summarize the priorities and positions of political parties at all levels. Here are links to the National and North Carolina Democratic platforms, followed by the full text of Dare Democrats’ platform for the county.

Dare County Democratic Party 2016–2017 Platform

Dare County Democrats take pride in our Democratic heritage as a party of diversity, inclusiveness, fairness and patriotic values; of economic security, environmental stewardship and educational opportunities; of compassion and social justice; of responsive and responsible leadership; and of fiscally sound government. We proudly stand on the following principles:

Economy

We believe all citizens have a fundamental right to a job that provides a living wage and respects workers’ rights; equal pay for equal work; affordable child and senior care; and the preservation of pension and retirement benefits. Therefore, we support efforts to:

Sustain our tourism industry while diversifying the economic base of the county;

Preserve the historical and economic vitality of our fishing and boatbuilding industries;

Promote keeping our inlets and waterways open in support of commercial and recreational fishing industries;

Promote responsible public access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area;

Support the increase of the minimum wage to at least $10.10 per hour;

Reduce the state tax burden on the working poor and reinstate the state Earned Income Tax Credit;

Create a viable social safety net that allows living in dignity; protect access to nutritional assistance;

Encourage policies that promote the development and growth of locally owned small business.

Education

Every student is entitled to receive an outstanding public education. Therefore we support efforts to:

Ensure teacher salaries and benefits that result in the recruitment and retention of the highest quality teachers; protect teacher career status;

Protect funding for pre-K programs;

Oppose any use of public taxpayer funding for private secular or religious schools;

Reinstate the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program

Increase the availability of high-quality child care with an educational focus; and

Environment

Dare County’s pristine beaches, sounds, and estuaries are the foundation of our prosperity and must be preserved. Further, environmental policy should be based in sound science. Therefore, we support efforts to:

Make permanent the moratorium on off-shore oil and natural gas development because of the potential catastrophic effect on the ocean and our vital tourism and fishing industries;

Reject the use of hydraulic fracturing;

Protect the creatures who live in the sea from destructive sonic cannons;

Accelerate development of renewable energy projects focusing on wind and solar including offshore wind farms;

Develop and enforce strict regulations to protect against industry-based water contamination; support the Energy Freedom Act which would allow third party energy sales;

Continue to improve water quality to protect public health and safeguard marine life; and

Promote programs for the conservation of energy and water resources.

Human rights

We believe in the full and equal protection of the lives, liberties, rights, and properties of all regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. We encourage vigorous enforcement of existing civil rights laws and protection against unwarranted and unlawful interference in our private lives and personal decisions. Therefore, we support efforts to:

Repeal HB2

Pass the Equal Rights Amendment

Health care

Universal access to affordable, high quality, comprehensive health care is a right. Therefore, we support efforts to:

Increase access to medical care through the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act;

Provide a health care system that ensures basic services for all at a reasonable cost;

Repeal state legislation restricting women’s health rights;

Continue the development of treatment programs for those suffering from substance abuse and mental illness; and

Public safety

Our community must be safe and prepared for natural and man-made disasters. Preparation should include the necessary tools for law enforcement, firefighters, and all emergency response personnel. As a popular vacation destination attracting millions, we have an obligation to protect our visitors’ safety as well as our own. Therefore, we support efforts to:

Ensure salaries and benefits that result in the recruitment and retention of the highest quality personnel in adequate numbers;

Expand sidewalks and bike paths throughout Dare County, especially in the unincorporated areas; and

Provide technology needed to support usage of best practices for law enforcement agencies;

Voting rights and campaign finance

We believe that every citizen has a right and an obligation to vote, without fear or intimidation or harassment. Further, voters should have absolute confidence in the fairness of political campaigns and public elections. Therefore we support efforts to:

Oppose the U. S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision;

Repeal the Voter ID requirement;

Repeal any legislation that suppresses voters’ rights, including shortened voting hours, days and access;

Restore and expand public financing of elections including the statewide tax check-off for political parties;

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